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    The Normal

    4.1 (21 reviews)
    Open 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Chelsy B.

    The wasp woman drink was great! Slightly creamy tasting hint of honey flavor. The cheddar sausage was so flavorful! And the brisket sandwich no 3 was perfection. Great service too!

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    Tonia M.

    Heard good things about this new BBQ place and wanted to try it. It's a tipless restaurant where, if dining in, you scan a QR code to place an order and pay and then the food is brought to you. We decided to order online and pickup. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the owner and staff. Behind the front counter all operations of the kitchen are visible making it easy to communicate with staff. The delicious smoky aroma is the first thing that hits your senses upon arrival giving way to an excited anticipation to try their food for the first time. The place is very clean and I could see how this would be a nice spot to grab some good food and drinks (there are several alcohol and non-alcoholic options) with friends on a Friday or Saturday night. Since the restaurant is fairly new, they are experiencing some growing pains of success so patience is key. We ordered several mains and a few sides. I was disappointed that there weren't any combo offerings like most bbq places. Everything is a la cart. There was a glitch in the system where we ordered a large side of Mac and cheez, but when we arrived they were out of it. To my pleasant surprise the owner wanted to come through with a solution and if we could wait a little longer, he would make a fresh serving for us. If it wasn't the only thing my picky eater back home would eat off the menu, I would have said don't worry about it and exchanged for a different side, but seeing that we had time to wait, we went for his offer. He also gave us a free Ive cornbread to try - Talk about above and beyond customer service!! I'm glad we waited because she LOVED the Mac and cheez. The food was delish! The lingonberry barbecue sauced ribs were fall-off-the-bone and filled with flavor. I really enjoyed the smoked Buffalo wings. They were cooked perfectly and the Smokey flavor penetrated the meat just right. Being from Buffalo, I'm picky about how wings are cooked and find most places err on the side of undercooking, but these were great and as a blue cheese for wings lover, I especially appreciated the #ranchisforsalads hashtag when ordering online. The brisket sandwich was juicy and flavorful. The beans were a little too smoky and no one in the family enjoyed them enough to eat more than a bite full. The turmeric coleslaw and German potato salad sides were tasty. We'll definitely be back to try more dishes. I especially want to try the lingonberry bbq wings.

    Surly beer! Good stuff from Minneapolis

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    11 days ago

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    10 days ago

    Adam knows his business! Always good. If u crave BBQ in a friendly setting you're in for a treat here. Plus he's added a small bar!

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Off the chain! This was amazing bbq brisket. A must try if in Lima or nearby. Service was excellent and food was amazing.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Desiree was amazing! Awesome service and really tasty food! Everything came out fast and highly recommend!

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    3 years ago

    AMAZING SO SO GOOD. best bbq I've had since being in the south! Sandwiches, chicken, ribs all great. Love the turmeric slaw

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    3 years ago

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    Ask the Community - The Normal

    Review Highlights - The Normal

    we shared brisket,ribs with loganberry sauce, cauliflower with buffalo sauce, wings, excellent beans, Mac and cheese and turmeric slaw.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    5.0(11 reviews)
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    Our first visit to Grove Bbq, and we weren't disappointed! It's about an hour drive from us so we…read morewere starving when we got there, and we ordered a little bit of everything. Pulled pork was shredded so tiny it was almost creamy, this is a good thing, it was absolutely delicious. Brisket sandwich was some of the best brisket I'd ever had. Super tender, a teeny bit flakey just the way I like it, not chewy at all. Meat choices and sides rotate for variety. We couldn't decide on just two sides so we shared collard greens, coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans, each of which were delicious. We wished that we would have room to try the cornbread and banana pudding for dessert, but maybe next time. We loved the option to take a few mini cups of fill your own sauce so we could try them all. Vinegar sauce and apple bbq were okay but their Memphis sauce is everything, I'd choose that every time. We'll definitely be back to try some more meats and sides! There are several tables on the deck, with umbrellas, and higher stools at a bar area. There is a port-o-potty across the parking lot if you need to go.

    We tried this place after hearing good things about it & it did not disappoint! Wow, the food was…read moredelicious!!! Quick service and so much food, we will be eating it at least 2 more times. I know they are closing soon for the season but we will definitely be back again to eat next season!

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    Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

    Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

    4.3(2k reviews)
    17.1 miCenter City
    $$

    Wow what an experience!!! Visiting from Miami and Arizona!…read moreI came with my family (group of 9) We waited for about 40 minutes, and it was very much worth it. Starting with the friendly and attentive service from the staff. Even the security guard outside welcomed us to Rochester and made his recommendations! Amanda took care of our table and she made our experience much more memorable. The raspberry lemon drop **ELITE** I had three! And the food, we all devoured every bite. The amount of food was perfect, the sides were all so tasty, I couldn't pick my favorite! The ribs I was so happy from beginning to end. It was the best way to end the night, even the kids couldn't stop raving about the delicious food! Thank you so much team! I would 10000% come back if I'm in Rochester!

    So, tonight was my last night in town, and one of my coworkers recommended this place. So I drove…read moreover. The atmosphere was not what I expected. It was def a BBQ joint, but I wasoasing the dinosaur but. Anywhos, service was fantastic. I was seated quickly (party of 1 usually do) and my waitress was amazing. Once I figured out my choices, I went with the 3 course meal. Jerk wings to start, 1/4 chicken (I went with thigh and deum instead of breast and wing), beef brisket, side of Cajun corn, roasted whipped sweet potatoes, organe cream soda, and key lime pie for the dessert. First off, wings were delish and a great way to start. Then the entrees was a good portion. I was hesitant to try Cajun corn again since the last place I tried it was very unfulfilling. But here it was delish. Sweet potato were solid. Chicken was not dry at all, and brisket was tender and smokey. Soda was not too heavy, and the key lime pie was so so good (but honestly I should have gotten it to go as it was too much food). Overall, this place was wonderful. If I ever come back to Rochester I will be coming here again.

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    Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Bar seating

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    Chimichurri chicken with Mac and cheese

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    Heintzelman's BBQ Pit

    Heintzelman's BBQ Pit

    4.2(119 reviews)
    27.8 mi
    $$

    My wife and I like to check out new places and have seen this place and since we love BBQ we opted…read morefor Heintzelmann's BBQ. The place was neat and clean and our server Michelle was very nice, helpful and personable. Being new customers we were surprised that we were offered a sampler of eight of the sides as well as cornbread with a surprising cinnamon butter to spread on it. All were delicious and made our choice of two difficult. My wife chose a side salad and the Cajun corn. I got the mashed potatoes with gravy and the smoked baked beans. We waited maybe 20 minutes after the sampler and my wife's salad for our dinner, which seemed long but not terrible. The owner Bob had been coming around checking on tables. When our food came out, he also checked on us and apologized for the length of wait. He offered free desert, which we didn't think necessary but very much appreciated. We each got a 1/3 slab of ribs which were tender and delicious without saucing them. There were 3 sauce options at the table. Gold, original and sweet. All good but original was my favorite. I got the pulled pork and my wife the pulled chicken. We took our complimentary desserts to go as we had no room left. We choose the baklava cheesecake and peanut butter pie. Also both delicious. We highly recommend you give this place a try. It's easy to get to and should have been booked solid based on the atmosphere, service and food!

    Portions are huge! Place is a bit dated but staff is friendly. Manu homemade options including…read moretheir applesauce. Had leftovers even with sharing & food was delicious the next day. Owner even came over to say hi. Would highly recommend.

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    Heintzelman's BBQ Pit - My family and I enjoying dinner there

    My family and I enjoying dinner there

    Heintzelman's BBQ Pit - Their deep fried catfish with a side of smoked macaroni and Cheese and green beans.

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    Their deep fried catfish with a side of smoked macaroni and Cheese and green beans.

    The Normal - bbq - Updated May 2026

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